Your Heart Needs More Than Exercise: The Physical Side of Self-Care
This month, we’re talking about matters of the heart—and I mean that in every sense of the word. February isn’t just about Valentine’s Day. It’s about the physical heart beating in your chest, the emotional heart that craves connection, and the daily acts of self-care that keep both of them healthy.
Over the next four weeks, we’ll explore how taking care of your heart goes far beyond your morning walk or doctor’s office. We’ll talk about loneliness and purpose, build sustainable self-care habits, and weave it all together into something that fits your real life.
Today, we’re starting with the physical side. And what might surprise you: your heart needs a lot more than exercise.
The Walk Isn’t Enough
I was on the phone with my Aunt Carol some time ago, and she said something that made me think: “I walk around the block every morning like the doctor told me to. I take my blood pressure medication. But I’m exhausted all the time, and my chest feels tight when I’m worried. I thought I was doing everything right for my heart.”
Sound familiar?
Your heart responds to everything—your stress levels, sleep quality, what you eat, how you breathe, even whether you feel lonely or connected. You can walk every single day and still strain your heart if you’re chronically stressed, sleeping poorly, or eating foods that keep your body inflamed. And the reverse is also true: someone who can’t walk much can still have a remarkably healthy heart if they’re managing the other factors well.
When Worry Attacks Your Heart
When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Your heart rate increases, blood pressure goes up. In the short term, this is fine—it’s designed to help you.
But most of us aren’t dealing with short-term stress. We’re dealing with constant, low-level worry that never quite goes away. Concerns about health. Money stretching to cover everything. Family tensions. The news every evening. Doctor appointments piling up. The friend who’s been sick.
When your stress response stays activated day after day, it keeps your blood pressure elevated, increases inflammation, and makes your heart work harder than it should. Over time, this contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and heart attacks.
Many of us don’t even realize we’re stressed. We’ve gotten so used to feeling tense that it feels normal. The tight shoulders, shallow breathing, the knot in your stomach—you might not even notice them anymore.
My Aunt Carol didn’t realize how stressed she was until I asked her to take a deep breath during our phone call. She couldn’t. Her breathing had become so shallow and rapid that she’d forgotten what a real, full breath felt like. Every shallow breath was sending a signal to her body: “We’re in danger. Stay on high alert.”
You Have More Control Than You Think
Your heart responds quickly to positive changes. When you calm your nervous system down, your heart gets the message almost immediately. Blood pressure starts to drop. Heart rate becomes more steady. That tight feeling in your chest begins to ease.
Small things make a bigger difference than you’d expect. Five deep breaths before getting out of bed. Sitting quietly with your morning coffee instead of turning on the news. Saying no to one draining thing. These aren’t just “nice ideas”—they’re actual interventions that change what’s happening in your cardiovascular system. We wrote more about stress here.
What You’ll Learn Below the Paywall
In the premium section, we go beyond the basics and give you the practical tools that make a real difference:
✅ Sleep and Your Heart – Why poor sleep damages your cardiovascular system and the specific habits that help
✅ The Inflammation Connection – Which everyday foods quietly harm your heart and what to eat instead
✅ Movement That Actually Helps – Gentle, realistic exercise that supports heart health without overwhelming you
✅ Calming Your Nervous System – Simple breathwork and rest techniques that lower blood pressure immediately
✅ Your 4-Week Action Plan – A realistic, step-by-step guide to implement everything without feeling overwhelmed.